Multi-agency day of action

Officers from the Highland and Islands Division have co-ordinated a multi-agency day of action to tackle suspected underlying criminality within the takeaway and restaurant industry. Premises in Grantown-on-Spey and Dornoch were visited during the evening of Thursday 22 September, 2016 as part of the enforcement activity to tackle suspected money laundering, immigration and drugs offences.

The operation involved officers from Highland and Islands Division, including officers from the Divisional Community Investigation Unit, Flexible Policing Unit and also the Operational Support Unit who were working alongside partners from Highland Council Trading Standards, Environmental Health, Licencing Standards, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Detective Superintendent Colin Carey said: "This has been a worthwhile operation involving a number of agencies in order to deter and disrupt criminal activity and importantly sends the message that organised crime in relation to labour exploitation, tax evasion and immigration offences, to name a few, will not be tolerated.

"Our colleagues from the Highland Council, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and HMRC will progress investigations into suspected licencing, tax and immigration offences."

Gregor MacCormick, Highland Council’s Senior Environmental Health Officer said: “Highland Council’s Environmental Health Service fully supported the Operation and we will continue to work in partnership with all the agencies involved to conduct similar interventions again in the future. Such partnership working greatly assists our Service’s continuing efforts to improve standards of food hygiene, health and safety and housing conditions for staff throughout the Highland Council area.”